After an eventful day in Ocean City, N.J. (America's Greatest Family Resort), which included the opening of the beach festivities, the Nor'easters capped off the beginning of Memorial Day weekend with a 2-1 win over Philadelphia Lone Star FC. The game, under the lights at Carey Stadium, would be the fifth straight home opening win for the Nor'easters, who remain undefeated (1-0-1) on the young season.

Nicolas Cam Orellana and Alessandro Arlotti each tallied goals for the Nor'easters, while Felix Schafer earned the win in goal with his first career start for Ocean City.

The Nor'easters will have a quick turnaround for their next game as they will host last year's Mid-Atlantic Division champions, West Chester United, at the Beach House on Sunday night. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. (Tickets can be purchased online here)

"We played well for portions of the game but we showed great fight to be able to get the result against a tough team in Philadelphia," said Nor'easters head coach Kevin Nuss. "You could see that our match fitness and sharpness is not quite there but we know it’s coming and there is a whole other level to this team."

Both teams canceled each other out for the opening half hour. The first real scoring chance came in the 37th minute when the Nor'easters had a solid build-up out of the back. The ball found its way to the right wing near midfield when Galin Flynn (Fordham / West Hartford, CT) chipped a ball in behind the defense into the path of Alessandro Arlotti (Harvard / San Remo, Italy). The Italian forward from Harvard ran onto it but his defender caught up to him and blocked his shot.

Flynn was involved in another chance in the 38th minute as he received a long ball on the ground down the right wing. He played a square ball into the middle where Benjamín Cam Orellana (Univ. of Rio Grande / Santiago, Chile) received it at the top of the box. He took a touch and fired a shot, but once again, the defense closed and blocked it.

Lone Star had their best scoring chance just before halftime when Philly's Patrick Singbah lined up a free kick from 22 yards away in the 45th minute. He bent it around the wall, but Ocean City goalkeeper Felix Schafer (Santa Clara / Berlin, Germany) dove to his left and made the save. The corner kick that followed saw a volley skied high and wide, giving the Nor'easters a goal kick.



Less than a minute later, a long ball by Ocean City fell to the Lone Stars and they played it on the ground back to goalkeeper Goodwill Agbaadem. After collecting the ball with his feet, the Nor'easters pressured him, so he cut to the left to avoid one Nor'easters player but he took too heavy of a touch and he gave it away to Nicolas Cam Orellana (Keiser Univ. / Santiago, Chile) who calmly slotted the ball with his left foot into the wide open net to open the scoring.

After halftime, Lone Star took a free kick about 35 yards from goal. The ball was lofted into a dangerous area and Shafer came off his line to punch it away. However, it fell to a Philadelphia player, but he blasted it high over the bar.

In the 58th minute, Philadelphia found an equalizer. Hassan Kane drove down the left wing toward the end line and send a low-driving cross that found the foot of Aboubacar Camara who tapped it in right in front of goal.

The Nor'easters offense kept the pressure on for the last half-hour of the match. In the 66th minute, Alessandro Arlotti won the ball on the left wing in the Lone Star's offensive third. Arlotti played a through ball to Pablo Marques (Univ. of Tampa / Joao Pessoa, Brazil) who crossed the ball slowly across the penalty area. Nick Pariano (Duke / Philadelphia, PA) pounced on the loose ball but it was blocked. The Nor'easters tracked the ball down and got the ball to Arlotti, who cut to the right and fired a shot toward the upper corner, but it took a deflection and went wide.

In the 72nd minute, a long ball was played to the left side of goal where Gianluca Arlotti (Boston Univ. / San Remo, Italy) volleyed it on net but Agbaadem had the near post covered and made the save at point blank range.

Four minutes later, Flynn would create the game-winner. After taking a throw-in, he received the ball immediately back on the right wing, near the corner flag. Flynn crossed a perfectly placed ball to the front door and Arlotti out-jumped his defender and headed it into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal.

The Nor'easters defense would hold on for the final 15 minutes to earn the club's first win of the 2022 season and improve to 4-1-0 all-time againnst Lone Star FC.